Key Takeaways
1. The Nintendo Switch 2 has launched with a focus on third-party titles and remakes of Switch exclusives.
2. Nintendo has introduced Game-Key Cards, which resemble traditional cartridges but require internet downloading to access games.
3. Game-Key Cards do not contain game data, functioning instead as a signal for console downloads.
4. Nintendo has provided markings to differentiate Game-Key Cards from standard cartridges, but confusion may still arise for users.
5. The future release of games as Game-Key Cards raises concerns about the preservation of physical media and the need for an internet connection.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is here at last, after a long wait filled with wild rumors, speculations, and some wishful thinking. The games available at launch lean heavily towards third-party titles, with numerous Switch exclusives being remade for this new device. Additionally, Nintendo has introduced a (somewhat) fresh type of game that could annoy fans of physical media.
Understanding Game-Key Cards
On Nintendo’s official site, a support article outlines what Game-Key Cards are. They look like traditional game cartridges, but they don’t actually contain any game data. Instead, they function like a signal to your console, prompting it to download the game from the internet. Once downloaded, you can play the game without being online.
This concept is a bit of an upgraded (or downgraded) take on physical game releases that included a download code in the packaging. Fortunately, Nintendo has made it clear how to tell the difference between standard games and Game-Key Cards by adding clear markings on the underside. However, this could lead to confusion, as not everyone reads the small print and may wonder why their brand-new cartridge won’t work without an internet link.
Future of Game-Key Cards
Currently, it’s unclear how many games for the Nintendo Switch 2 will be released as Game-Key Cards. Ideally, the number should be none, since this contradicts the fundamental purpose of physical media, which is to play games without needing an internet connection. Having a game locked behind DRM goes against the preservation of gaming, a concern that Nintendo seems to have overlooked for many years, if not longer.
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